Buckhorn doesn't want road trend to end against Huntsville

Buckhorn needs tailback Roddrick Anderson to help control the clock Friday against Huntsville (The Huntsville Times/Dave Dieter)

NEW MARKET, Alabama - Garrett Whitworth believes he has a reason for it, though in reality, it doesn't make much sense.

The Buckhorn High football team is 0-4 this season at home, but it's 3-0 on the road.

"I think we really like to show everybody just what we've got when we're on the road," the Bucks senior linebacker said. "We want to earn our respect. I've noticed that we come together and play as a unit better in our away games."

Given the importance of this week's game Friday against Huntsville at Milton Frank Stadium, it would be in Buckhorn's best interest to keep that mojo going. That is, if it harbors any interest in earning one of the four playoff spots out of Class 6A, Region 8.

The Bucks (3-4, 2-3 in Region 8) likely need to win their final two region games to remain in the mix for the postseason. They, along with Huntsville (4-3, 3-2), are a part of a jumbled, four-team group within a game of each other.

"We try to approach it like we do every game - as if it's one of your last," first-year Buckhorn coach Chris Hancock said. "The third and fourth spots are kind of wide open, but the playoffs are not something you look at right now."

Dealing with the Panthers presents enough of a challenge on its own. Huntsville is three points away from being 6-1 on the season, having gone for two in an overtime loss to Homewood and frittering away a big lead in early September against Hazel Green.

The Panthers also lost tailback Azaria Green to a knee injury in that game against the Trojans, but the hard-running senior is back and once again causing headaches for defenses.

"He's a big guy, but he's no better than other runners we've had to face," Whitworth said. "Being a linebacker, it's a challenge to be a run-stopper. That's what all good linebackers look forward to."

Aside from a 15-point effort in a Week 6 loss to Bob Jones, Huntsville's offense has been tough to contain, averaging 35.3 points per game.

"I think we're slowly getting back to full strength, at least as much as you can in the eighth week of the season," Panthers coach Scott Sharp said. "We've got 26 seniors, though, and they've been down the road a time or two. I think we've got a lot of confidence at this point."

The Bucks are coming off a 23-point loss to unbeaten Bob Jones - "That's happened to a lot of us this year," Sharp said - where they turned the ball over four times. Hancock is hoping to have tailback Roddrick Anderson, who tweaked an ankle during a win over Hazel Green the previous week, back at 100 percent for Huntsville.

"We can't win football games with four turnovers, so our turnover ratio will have to be better," Hancock said. "And Rod's doing well and rehabbing the right way. He's a hard worker who has overcome a lot of things this season."